Switzerland, Como and Neuschwanstein Castle in 8 days?
 

Firstly is this intended as a road trip? Because that is what it will be with some days needing 5 hours plus of car time assuming you use the motorways. It is doable but does not seem to give you much time anywhere other than around Como. Is there a particular reason to choose Murren? Because it doesn't look as though you are allowing yourself much time to do anything more than visit the village itself and spend the night. If it is possible to spend longer on this trip I would advise you to do so.

Last year we covered much of the same area you are considering. W drove from the UK to Neuschwanstein Castle (2 nights), over the Stelvio pass to Bormio (1 night) on to Como(3 nights)and then Grindelwald(3 nights) with overnights in Belgium and France on the way out and back. We had a great time but did feel we would have enjoyed it even more if we had been able to take a few more days and reduced some of the drives. We would have liked to spend more time in Grindelwald and the surrounding area. (actually we would have happily spent longer in Como and around Neuschwanstein too but Grindelwald was just incredible)

OP's looking at maps so assuming a road trip.

but an overly ambitious one - for example Lucerne to Murren means driving to Lauterbrunnen and leaving car in lot and taking cable/train up to car-lees Muren - If so I'd advise cutting Lake Como - an outlier and add a day to Murren (otherwise you'll just get there and have to turn around and start back and a day elsewhere.

If it's a road trip, that means:
Zurich airport - Lucerne - Horw - Lauterbrunnen - Horw (Lucerne) - Bellinzona - Chiasso - Cernobbio etc. - Chiasso - Bellinzona - Chur - Kriessern - Altach - Sigmarszell - Heimenkirch - Weitnau - Fuessen - Kempten - Memmingen - Ulm - Rothenburg.......
Almost all on rather boaring motorways....
The OP will cross the Alps twice in long road tunnels. A drive OVER the Alps (passroads) would be much more scenic and let him see much more from the Alps than a ridiculously short Murren stay.

Well we very much enjoyed Neuschwanstein. We were there just over a year ago and are glad we went.

We also stayed in Rothenburg for several nights. I know people say it is crowded but that was not our experience at all. During the days there were people milling around, but not hoards by any means. The Night Watchman Tour is excellent, and that is the only time we felt it was crowded, as it seemed like people came out of the woodwork for that, FWIW. If you need a place to. stay there, the Hotel Spitzweg is where we were and we absolutely loved it! Great location, great room and breakfast, but the host is what cinched it. He was a pure delight!

Here is what we did last fall in 8 days. https://www.fodors.com/community/eur...esome-1659589/

I'm not sure it would have been as perfect had the weather not been ideal.

We are glad we saw the castles, from the outside, and got our photo ops, but our day riding bikes in the area made for wonderful time.

Thank you so much for the information. I will try and figure out how to cut out some and stay longer.

I love Rothenburg too. I’ts the reason we will make a quick stop there. (And I there’s a local women’s group that makes and sells beautiful wool coats and acessories. I wanted to order this years coat but it was too expensive to ship so I’m hoping to stop and pick up a new coat. Also, great information about the night watchman’s tour. Ive been on it three times and will go a fourth if we spend the night !

Thanks. Having lived in Seattle, WA I understand your point on the clouds being down. I think we are going to skip Murren just because we wouldn’t really get a chance to enjoy it. Susan

Thanks. WE are planning on seeing both castles.

Thanks. I understand what you’re saying but I will probably do it anyway. I’ve been to many castles and it just seems right I go to this one. I”be seen Ludwigs castle on the lake and enjoyed it even though it wasn’t finished.

Here's one that very much enjoyed my visits to Neuschwanstein and Fussen - nice town at foot of Alps. Neuschwanstein is what it is - an Ersatz medieval castle built by Mad Ludwig - dubbed Mad for his medieval fantasy castle-building. The other of his castles are much more what purists like though they too were built as Ersatz medieval castles, except Hohenschwangau next door to Neuschwanstein, where he grew up and which his father 'rebuilt' about from scratch\

The dreamy outside is the most famous visage of a castle anywhere and the inside has a different surprise at every turn - some innovation of Ludwig or just for a surprise. But the huge crowds kind of negate this aspect. Walking around the castle area is fun - like up to Marienbrucke high behind the castle to see the castle hovering high above Lake Schwangau (name?) down below. There are nice walks in the area.

I can see why many folks are put off Neushchwanstein but some like me may like it- and I rather enjoy tourist mobs - people watching, etc. But the castle is a whole day trip from Munich - time that many will find better spent in Munich or on another day trip.